Following a recent rain of 1/8" and the subsequent inspection of the golf course we proved out again the benefits of turf covers to minimize ice formation/damage. Here on #1 green, at a tear in the cover, note the ice developed on the uncovered turf and the lack of ice that was under the cover. (Noticeable where the turf cover was pulled back and photographed by my foot). This is especially critical protection to have from winter rain events or warm snow melting events. It is not a perfect protection but it does provide some confidence from the detrimental effects of ice formation. We cover all the greens with permeable Evergreen covers, for just this purpose, every fall. Last winter, the covers provided a critical barrier between the ice and the turf (heavy, thick ice up to 2" thick had formed on all the greens early in the fall of 2011) and allowed us to aerate the ice off the greens without destroying the greens.
